From Setbacks to Success: My Journey to Becoming an RN

 I Made It—And You Can Too!

I know, I know—it’s been a while. But I had to come back and share this testimony because God Almighty carried me through one of the hardest journeys of my life: nursing school. Not only did I graduate, but I also passed the NCLEX on my first attempt!

Y’all, nursing school was tough. I don’t care what anybody says. And trust me, I heard it all:

“It can’t be that hard, or there wouldn’t be so many nurses.”

“Maybe you’re not meant to be a nurse.”

“Just try something else.”

On top of that, I had friends who laughed and talked behind my back because I failed a semester. People I thought were my support group turned out to be the same ones making jokes about me. And when I found out, it was mentally draining—it became hard to even talk to them about my journey. But what really got me was when one of them boldly said:

“Hey Mrs. Cavon, Mrs. ‘Pretending to pass nursing school.’”

Y’all… I was WOWED. Not just at the disrespect but at the fact that they so openly admitted they had been talking about me. That’s when I realized: I didn’t have the support system I thought I had. And at that point, I had two choices—let it break me or keep going.

It took prayer to overcome those thoughts of doubt and defeat. It took faith to keep pushing forward even when I felt like I had nobody to lean on. But I refused to let anyone define my future based on a setback. And now, here I am—a registered nurse!

To the Soon-to-Be Nurses—A Heads-Up From Someone 9 Months In

Right now, I’m working Med-Surg, one of the busiest, most demanding units in healthcare. If you’re familiar with nursing, you know Med-Surg nurses are some of the hardest-working people out here. We’re juggling up to six patients per shift, handling high patient turnover, and managing complex cases back-to-back. And let me tell you—I have yet to see a single generic care plan actually used in real life.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

✅ The real learning starts AFTER you pass NCLEX. School teaches the foundation, but the job teaches survival.

✅ Confidence comes with time. Nobody expects you to know everything on day one. Even seasoned nurses are still learning.

✅ Trust in yourself and the process. The same grit that got you through nursing school will get you through your first year.

✅ Not everyone clapping for you is happy for you. And that’s okay—just keep going.

So if you’re still in the trenches of nursing school, keep grinding. If you’re a new grad, keep pushing. And if you’re already in the field, keep learning.

And when you hit those moments where you think, What did I get myself into?, just know—you’re not alone. Come back to this blog when you’re in the thick of it. Trust me, you’ll understand. 😂

If you’re on this journey, drop a comment below! Let’s talk about it, because we’re all in this together. 💙